Toy base-ball-game apparatus.



J. A. EKELUND. TOY BASE BALL GAMB APPARATUS. APPLIUATION FILED MAB. 10, 1,909.

Pasented'May 24;, ww

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Patented ay 24., 1910.

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JOHN A. EKELUND, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T JAMES F. WILLIAMSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

TOY BASE-IBALL-GAME APPARATUS. v

l' To all whom 'it may concern:

. Be it known that I, JOHN A. EKELUND, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State vof Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Base- Ball-Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

eXact .description of the invention, such' as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved toy ball game apparat-us, and

to this end, it consists' of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

This improved toy ball game apparatus is capable of many modifications and different` arrangements adapting it to be used in variou's different kinds of ball games, but in the drawings, it is shown as designed and arranged for playing baseball, very closely v baseball.

in accordance with the ordinary rules of' In this preferred arrangement, the toy device comprises a s0called field plate and toy figures representing pitcher, catcher, batter, baseman andfielders. The

field plate is providedwith amarginal flange pitched balhwhen moved at ,the proper time in respect to the throwing of the ball bythe pitcher.' The baseman and the fielders which are minhr features of the device, are prefei ably simply fixed l toy figures representing i men.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the improved device as above generally outlined and as designedfor playing baseball, like characters indicate like parts I throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the complete device, some parts being broken away.; Fig.

'21 is azleft side elevation, of the batter; Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of the pitcher; Fig.

11 is a right side elevation of the lower portion ofthe: batter and actuating device therefor; Fig. is a horizontal section taken on Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 214i., 1.910.

- Application filed March 10, 1909.` Serial No. 482,451.-

the line m5 m5 of Fig. 4; Fig. (3 is a right side elevation, showing the lower portion of the pitcher and actuating mechanism therefor; Fig.- 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line ai? to? of Fig. G; and Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the catcher. l

The field plate or board l is provided with a marginal upwardly extended fiange Q, which confines the ball in its-movements upon the board 1. This flange Q at one side of theboard, is shown as reduced inheight asshown at Q, so as to afford more ready access to pitcher andbatter controlling devices, presently to be described. The diamond is .marked off on the board 1 by four small rods or straight wires 3,'secured in any suitable means such as staples 4. The

bases 5 are marked ou the board at the fourl angles of the diamond Il. The field is subdivided into zones (L, b and c, by means of small rods or straight wires G and 7, preferai'e all show-n as permanent figures., having base plates screwed or otherwise rigidly secured to the board 1, and all` occupy appropriate positions. Also as shown, there is a similar permanently fixed figure 14 representing ashort-stop. The catcher 10 is provided with a pair of arms 15 pivoted thereto at 16, and formed with very large hand pla-tes ldthat afford a basketflike receptacle,

Vlarge enough to receive and" to hold a ball `1S which is thrown by the pitcher. The arms 15 are made pivotally adjustable, so that they may be properly set to catch the ball,.aiid the pivot joint 16 is set under such friction, that the arms will not be moved from their set position by the impact of the ball. Furthermore, the said arms are adapted to Spring laterally and permit the ball to be forced downward from between the hand plate 17 when the ball is pressed by a finger of the manipulator. 3

The pitcher is under 'spring tension to move -forward,'and the body thereof is provided with a pair of arms, one of which is arranged to throw the ball. This throwing I arm 19 has if hand formed to receive and hohl the ball, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. At

its lower extremity, the body 9 of the pitcher, is provided with a disk-like portion 20, that4 is pivotally connected by a bolt 21 to a bearing bracket 22, the base of 'which latter is rigidly secured to the field plate 1. On thebolt 21is a coiled torsion s )ring '23 one end of which is anchored to the bracket 22, and the other end of which reacts against the leg portion of the body-9, and exerts a force which tends to throw the said'body 9 for# ward or toward the batter and catcher. iVhen the pitchervis set. in a retracted position, ready to throw the ball when released, it is there held by a latch 24, the free end 24a of which engages a projection 25 of the disk-like portion of the pitcher body 9.-

- This latch 24 is shown as pivoted'to the base of the bracket 22, and it-is yielding-ly held in its operativeposition by a light `coiled spring 26 attached at one end to said bracket, and at its other end `to an arm of the said latch 24. Another arm of nsaid latch is connected to one end of a light wire or tripping connection 27, the other end of which as shown, is connected to a latch releasing. lever- 28, preferably pivoted to the field plate 1, close to the reduced side portion 2t.

As is evident, when the pitcher is set in its retracted position, as above described,"

and the latch 24 is moved into its inoperative position by movement 'of the releasing lever 28, toward the reduced wall 2, said pitcher will be released, and the forward movement imparted' thereto by the spring 23, will throw the ball past the batter, over l the home plate or base, and intothe hands bfthe catcher. The pitchers throwing arm 19 is preferably made adjustable by pivotal connection to the body 9, which pivotal connection is under such friction that it will not be accidentally moved fromits set adjustment 1n respect to the said body 9. This pivotal adjustment however, may be forced, and the said arm may be so set that the ball will be thrown into the hands of the catcher.

The free end 24a of the latch24 is preferably beveled on its upperedge, so that the lug or projection 25 will be automatically cammed into engagement with the saidlatc when the pitcher is forced backward into its retracted position.

The body 11 of the batter is rigidly secured to a disk-like base 29, that ispivotally movement is imparted to the batter by a suitable spring, preferably in the 'form of a .coiled torsion spring 3 4, shown as applied spring 34 under tension. This latching and tripping device may take different forms, but as shown, itcomprises as follows: An intermediate lever 36 is pivotally connected to the bearing plate 31, and isconnected by a lug 35 of the'rotary base 29. The e'nd of the lever 3G is also connected by a light wire 38 to a-small lever 39,-thatis pivotally con-f nected .to tlm field platefl, close'v to the re-- duced side wall 2%. This lever 39 is .provided with an 11p-turned free end 40, which serves as a finger piece, and this is adapted to be engaged by Aa laterally. projecting. lug of a latch lever 41, which in turn is pivot-ally connected to the field plate 1, and is subject to alight coiled spring 42,'whichlv serves to,`

yieldingly hold the 40 engaged.

Then the finger is engaged 40 ofthe lever 39, and the `latteris moved in the direction of the arrow marked thereon in Fig. 1, the batter will be set against the tension of the spring 34, in its retracted position shown in Fig. 1 lVhen the releasmg lever 41 is moved against the tension of its spring 42, thelever. 39 will-be released and this, of course, releases the batter, and the impelling -spring 34 will then rotate the batter on its Vertical pivot 30, under which movement the bat 33 will be swung horizontallyforward. W'hen the bat is-properly set, it will move forward with a swingin said two levers 39 and with the end '95 roo movement on the line that will .intersect the trajectory of the thrown ball, but to cause. the bat to strike the ball, the batter must be released at theproper time in respect to the release of the pitcher, and this will be found to require considerable skill.

In Fig. 1, the numeral 43 indicates one of several blocks which may be p'la'ced on the bases to indicate the assumed runner of the bases. f

In playing the ganieof baseball, with the device arranged as above described," most of the customary' rules of the game may be followed. This is so for instance, as to the number of strikes required to put the assumed batter out. The. person who is actuallyput out, being, of course, lthe person who is manipulating the toy batter by means of the releasing lever 41. The same person may manipulate both the .pitcher and the batter, or one person may manipulate the pitcher andthe other the batter. As arbi! position of the 80 light chain or flexible connectlon 37 tothe shouldA be allowed; if the ball'stops Within the cld zone a, a tWo-base hit should bef allowed, if the ball stops within the v'field' zone b, a three' base hit should bc allowed;

' if the ball stops within the field zone c, a

`four base hit or home-run shonldb'e allowed, and if the ballstops any other place, it

' should be called a foul.

vthe game, by the Ause of the d'evice,' and` if desired, 'tripping and'- releasing levers-for' the pitcher and batter may be prov1dedat that this ball receptacle is located above the'v floor, so Y that it is adapted to catch .the

Any dcsirediuunber of persons may play bol l1 sides of the field plate 1, or one thereof may be appliedat one side ofth'ef the other at the other side thereof.

The hands' of the '-catcher, as is obvious," constitute a ball receptacle --which is :1i-L 4 ranged to catch and hold the pitched balllf I `urthcrmore, it is very important fto' note pitchcdoball at a point above the floor. The pitched ball, if not struck bythe batter,

passes from the pitcher into the handsof the catcher without Aever striking thefloor and' the floor Vforms no part of theball receptacle.

` Whatl'V claim is:

1. In a toy ball game apparatus, a pitcher, a. batter and a catcher, the said catcher having a ball 'receptacle located above the floor and arranged tocatjch the ball thrown by the said pltcher, at a point above the floor,

and means for impartingr pitching move-4 ments to said pitcher and'batting movements to said batter;

2. Ina toy ball game apparatus, a pitcher, a batter and a catcher, the said pitcher being b atter.l' I

1 V3. 'Ina toy ball game apparat-ns', a pitcher,

plate, and f Y tliroiv.' tliefballl,V abovethe floor 'land-the said `catcher;'having'hands forming;

a ball .receptacle located above the ioor and 'adapted ,to catch the pitched ball at a point 'abovev thel floor, and independently operated means for imparting pitching movements to said pitcher and batting movel'nents to said abatter and a catcher, the said pitcher having ,an arm mounted 'for ball-.throwing movementsand. for adplstilients 1n a vertical plane, andfsaid catcher having a ball receptacle located above the floor and ar.

lranged to catch 'the pitched ball at a point above` the floor, and 'means'for imparting' v pitching movements to'said pitcher. and batting movements 'to `said batter, substanj ti'ally as described',

4.1111 a toy ball 'game .'apparatns, a pitcher,

a catcher, said catcher having JOHN A. EKELUND. YVitnesses I f -ALICE J. SWANSON, -HARRY D. KILGORE.

a batter and a catcher, sald catcher having I' a a"-pair 'of hands 'ormingja vball receptacle :."lo'cated j above the tloor,l ada ted to catch the Apitched b a1l `a'nd the, s aid hands being. f ,sp'ringpressedtoff'ethe'r and adapted to lbe jvforcedapart by ownward pressure there v on from the ball, whereby the said ball `maybe' .forced from said ball,receptacle'byY y\downward pressure. 1 f,

11g 5.1'In a to `ball game apparat-us, apitch'er, 'a "batter an pivoted frictionally held vertically adjustable arms with hands arranged to catch the pitched ball,"and independent means for. imparting pitching movement to said pitcher'and battinIg movement to said batter. 

